Two Types of Highly Effective Marketing Apps | iContact

You have probably seen the stats, but just in case it has escaped you, mobile is kind of a big deal. According to a May 2013 report from Pew Internet, 91% of American adults have a cell phone and 56% have a smartphone.

Around the same time that Pew published their report, another run-down of mobile statistics was published by PocketYourShop. Among the interesting statistics there:

To put it simply, your customers, just like you, probably carry their smartphones everywhere. Increasingly, what they do will depend on apps.

It’s no surprise that companies are trying to jump into the world of mobile. However, do not simply create an app to say that you did.

An impactful marketing app must have a clear rationale for its existence and a clear reason for people to purchase/download it.

There are two approached to creating positive results with marketing apps. The first is to develop an app that enhances your ability to assist customers directly with your product or service. The second is to develop an app that will be useful, but may not tie in directly to what you sell.

1. Apps Directly Tied To Your Product or Service

This first type of app may seem more intuitive to your C-Suite because it is more directly tied to your specific brand. Many big corporate brands have already gravitated towards apps that make it easier for customers to do business with them.

An August 2013 report from emarketer indicates that customers appreciate these kinds of apps for several reasons. Digiday.com recently summarized five great hotel apps which are clearly tied to the hotels, with a clear purpose – making check-in and other aspects of a hotel stay easier for customers.

Measuring the value of these apps is also far easier than for the second type. Your company is already in touch with many of the people using your brand’s apps. You can tell if your sales are increasing after the launch of the app. People using the app can click to your website so you can also measure how much usage the app is garnering.

2. Helpful Apps

The second type of app is going to be a slightly harder sell to your management.

This kind of app may not even have your brand’s name included. It probably is not directly related to your products or services. It may not link people to your website, at least not in a prominent way. Here are some examples of this kind of app:

Kleenex Achoo App:

As reported by Advertising Age on September 17, the Kleenex brand will be releasing an app called Achoo, which will use CDC data to forecast cold and flu season in your locale. Although this app is related to Kleenex (they kind of hope you get a cold, let’s be honest), the app is not being used to promote the brand per se. It offers helpful information that anyone can use, no matter what brand of facial tissue is preferred.

Jay Baer, in his recently published book titled Youtility, highlights several apps that fall into this category, including this example:

The Phoenix Children’s Hospital Car Seat Helper:

The Phoenix Children’s Hospital realized that many parents were installing car seats incorrectly or were unsure what the best car seat was for their children. Knowing this was a common problem for the people they served, the hospital created an app to help parents easily select and then install a quality car seat. Again, this does not directly relate to the hospital and its services, but is extremely helpful for parents.

Tip: Plan First, No Matter What

If your company decides to develop an app, whichever category it falls into, your company needs to determine on the front end how you will measure success, how you will maintain the app through different operating system updates, and more.

If this is something you are considering, Jay Baer’s book is an excellent resource. You can buy it on Amazon, and I recommend it if you plan to launch an app in the near future.